The Good Ice Dragon: Rhaegal's Founding
by Clementine's Ink Parchment
Summary: I just couldn't stand to see a dragon die...


"Author's" Note: I just couldn't handle how "Beyond the Wall" ended.

Show: Game of Thrones

Season 7; Episode 6: Beyond the Wall

Summary: This piece takes place during the end of the fight beyond the Wall.

Note(s): I didn't do any research and it's been awhile since I read the books so details (second rising of the WW; Rhaegal's eye colour, which dragon actually died, etc.) might be way off. If anyone has accurate information, please let me know and I can edit them in.

POV: Night King

He'd waited 8,000 years for this moment and he refused to fail as a result of a poor throw.

 _Patience._

The Night King had sensed the presence of the fire dragons for years now, but when they first hatched he did not have the power to pass the Wall.

The Children of the Forest were dead - he had seen to that.

They're magic, however, was not.

The dragons had grown and so had their power.

Unbeknownst to the Targaryen girl and the rest of the world, so had his.

Magic requires balance - it always has.

As soon as it becomes unbalanced chaos ensues to set it right again.

The Doom of Valyria was proof of that.

Chaos was here.

The Night King could have passed the Wall easily enough now, but he would not have been able to take his full strength with him.

The amount of magic needed to ensure his army could come with him required a lot of energy.

He needed something.

Something _large._

When he'd learned that the boy - the one he had watched ever so closely at Hardhome - was here the Night King knew his moment would come soon.

The Night King met Jon's gaze atop the rocks and he knew the boy was challenging him.

 _He doesn't know how strong he is. I don't know how strong he is. I dare not take the bait._

Then the burned one threw that rock and it started.

He could have called it off, but the remaining White Walker generals were still humanoid and a trace part of them still responded to things like goading and it was one of their direct wights the Hound had hit.

The Night King let the first of his soldiers advance on the band of men slowly.

He needed all of his energy for his next task.

The dragons were coming...

POV: Jon

Jon heard the screech of a dragon, but was too focused on fighting for his life and that of his companions to dare look up.

He'd seen Tormund almost get pulled into the water, but there were too many foes between him and the red-bearded man.

Jon didn't realize it at the time, but when he saw the Hound pull the big man out and to temporary safety every bit of dislike he'd ever felt towards Clegane was gone.

The White Walkers were making friend of foe...

As he neared the edge of the massive collection of rocks Jon stopped.

They could go no further.

Then he saw her.

Daenerys was getting ready to land Drogon and for a moment he thought everything would be alright in the end.

Rhaegal and Viserion were circling the dead breathing fire.

 _Destroying_ them.

He continued to fight, making sure his companions were atop the black dragon before he attempted to close the distance between him and safety.

He'd die, holding off the wights if he needed to.

Just as Jon was about to turn and run for Drogon himself when he heard it: The sound of a dragon dying.

Rhaegal was falling and he crashed into the ground below them, cracking the ice and sinking.

The beautiful creature sank so quickly Jon didn't have time to weep.

Then he found the Night King's eyes...

"Go! Leave me!" he screamed at his friends.

Daenerys didn't even look at him - she was staring at the disturbed ice water with a look of such sadness.

Tormund, ever the practical one, wasn't going to die here today.

"Get the fuck out of here!" he screamed at Daenerys.

Daenerys would grieve later and listening to the Wildling she got the men and her remaining children out of there.

Jon knew they'd taken off by the gust of wind Drogon had caused when he took flight and he didn't care that he was still on the ground.

He charged.

POV: Night King

One of his generals handed him the weapon in silence.

It was surprisingly light.

The Night King walked the short distance between where he was currently standing and the outer wall of his army.

He needed to do this before the boy got to him.

 _If_ the boy got to him…

His aim was true!

POV: Jon

He didn't care anymore.

The sound of Rhaegal dying seemed to fuel him with such rage that he managed to fight off more of the creatures than anyone would have thought possible.

He was close to the Night King now - closer than he'd ever been before.

Those. Eyes.

They looked so familiar.

Finally, he was overwhelmed and Jon not more than 15 feet away from Rhaegal went into the water.

The water was cold, but not as cold as it should have been.

 _How is this possible?_

Then he realized the fire dragon must still be alive.

Only the heat of its massive body could make the immediate area tolerable.

Jon kicked and disentangled himself from the boney creatures and swam to the dragon.

He was nearly out of breath when he reached the beast, but it mattered not.

He couldn't let him die alone.

With his last ounce of strength, Jon swam right alongside the dragon.

The instant he touched his scaly skin, Jon felt a shock.

POV: Rhaegal

Drogon? Mother? Viserion?

Rhaegal could never remember feeling anything other than intense heat, but he was starting to feel something else.

 _Cold._

The dragon was quickly losing heat and life until all of that was replaced by an intense shock.

The energy emitted from Jon instantly gave the dragon a second wind.

He felt strong and turning to face the spot on his body where he was touched he met Jon's eyes.

There was an instant connection and Rhaegal knew he'd found his dragon rider.

The boy seemed to sense to new life flowing from the dragon and not wanting to die himself he did the only thing he could think of to do: He swam on top of the dragon's back.

Rhaegal broke through the ice with Jon on his back.

POV: The Night King

Nooooo!


End file.
